JOHN TRELOAR

Grey River Argus, 22 February 1947, Page 6

JOHN TRELOAR

Aussie’s Tall Tprinter

SEVEN AND A-HALF FOOT STRIDE

New Zealanders will like ninefeen-year-old John Treloar, 6ft Sins and 13 J stone, the Sydney sprinter, who is in this country to see what'he can do against the Dominion and American sprinters, says “Sports Post.” He is the tallest sprinter—of real ability—to visit the country in recent years, and is probably one of the tallest to have raced anywhere.

When he left Auckland for Wellington he was told to be on the look out on his arrival there for a big man, M. W. Holley, secretary of the N.Z.A.A.A.A. Mr Holley is big, but Johnny Treloar is bigger, at least taller, and is no paper-weight as his 13-odd stone signifies.

Nine Years Running

Treloar has been running since he was 10. He has come up through the grades—from schoolboy races to great public school competitions, and to open class, and has been a champion all the way. Next year he hopes to be in London for the Olympic Games. There does not seem a thing to stop' him at present—unless- it is his obvious sludiousness. Me is taking an engineering course at Sydney University, and the passing regularly of exams means much to him.

He would not accept the invitation to come to New Zealand until he knew the result of the November examinations.

Treloar has some small affinity with New Zealand through the person of Jimmy Carlton, who came here fresh from school to win the Australasian 100 and 220 yards titles at the Athletic Park, Wellington, in 1927, and then in 1931 returned as a polished sprinter, and one of the greatest of his day anywhere, to

defeat the American George Simpson. Fat Walsh, who has handled many noted athletes, coached Carlton, and he also coaches Treloar.

. Treloar uses the straight-leg set when running, a style that is favoured by many Australian sprinters. He has- no use for starting blocks, stating that they throw him ton high. He much prefers to dig holes.

The young Australian is not

' a particularly fast beginner, being too long in the leg. He has a 7J-foot stride when he is in full cry, and that is the kind of thing to devour the ground.

He doesn’t mind running on a turn, provided he can start and finish with a straight run. though on the Sydney oval track, which is almost all turn, he skimmed over a furlong in the record time of 21 l-ssee.

MASTERTON, Feb. 21

At an athletic meeting at Masterton last night, Al Hershey (America) won the discus throw with a distance of 1511 feet, and the shot putt with 49ft. lllin. John Treloar (Australia) won the 100 yards, with Sherborne (Wellington) second. The time was lOsec. In the 880 yards invitation race, J. Fulton (America) from scratch, was third to Dowdall (Wellington), who was on a5O yards handicap. The 220 yards invitation race was won by Don Campbell (America) from scratch in 21 4-ssec.